12/04/2017

If Nadal wins 2018 AO, he will tie (pass?) Federer on the Slam pole? Guaranteed?

2018 AO will get him to No. 17 - forget the second Career Slam and other by-products.

With 2018 FO a virtual lock - barring injury - No. 18 is as good as bagged.

That will shift the stat to 19-18 Federer.

Think Nadal will win one more in the next say three years? Two? Just two carry 8 Slams including 2 FOs - without Federer and anybody else.

Oh, what did you say? "But Federer will win some more Slams". Yeah? Let's see:

Assuming Federer skips 2018 FO as he did in 2017, 2018 Wimbledon will land him hours removed from his 37th birthday. Unless he spectacularly upgrades the PEDs he ingested in 2017, it will not be easy despite his record there AND zero, heck negative, competition. Add the 'lucky' blister Cilic produced in the 2017 final while 'ahead' and the likelihood drops even further.

And that's without inserting the many more eyebrows and other body parts his win @ 37 will raise than his entire 2017 season did. Add Nadal in the final and...............

Let's assume, for argument sake, that he wins it and moves the stat to 20-18 Federer.

Think that's unassailable with Nadal @ age 32 - and Federer past 37?

Worse case scenario, if Nadal just manages to tie Federer's record, the most elementary consequence - forget 'exotic' implications - of it will be the shredding of the undisputed GOAT, heck just GOAT, pedestal to smithereens.

And if Nadal somehow manages to go past Federer's record, will that reduce Federer to status not too far from the one McEnroe once enjoyed: Most talented player - without much to back it?

Besides, if Nadal JUST ties the record, wouldn't he claim the undisputed GOAT status based on just these two pieces:

-He has eclipsed the most talented player to ever exist - without matching skill. Heck, some may say, he is not even close given his 'one-trick' pony rep.

-He overcame most injuries that a tennis player has ever sustained.

I mean, you cannot thrash - forget maintain a slim lead @ the most cherished record - with so much talent AND so much continuity without injury? How can you claim to be THE GOAT - other obvious records like weeks @ No. 1, WTF etc. notwithstanding?

Comments

If Nadal wins 2018 AO, he will tie (pass?) Federer on the Slam pole? Guaranteed?

2018 AO will get him to No. 17 - forget the second Career Slam and other by-products.

With 2018 FO a virtual lock - barring injury - No. 18 is as good as bagged.

That will shift the stat to 19-18 Federer.

Think Nadal will win one more in the next say three years? Two? Just two carry 8 Slams including 2 FOs - without Federer and anybody else.

Oh, what did you say? "But Federer will win some more Slams". Yeah? Let's see:

Assuming Federer skips 2018 FO as he did in 2017, 2018 Wimbledon will land him hours removed from his 37th birthday. Unless he spectacularly upgrades the PEDs he ingested in 2017, it will not be easy despite his record there AND zero, heck negative, competition. Add the 'lucky' blister Cilic produced in the 2017 final while 'ahead' and the likelihood drops even further.

And that's without inserting the many more eyebrows and other body parts his win @ 37 will raise than his entire 2017 season did. Add Nadal in the final and...............

Let's assume, for argument sake, that he wins it and moves the stat to 20-18 Federer.

Think that's unassailable with Nadal @ age 32 - and Federer past 37?

Worse case scenario, if Nadal just manages to tie Federer's record, the most elementary consequence - forget 'exotic' implications - of it will be the shredding of the undisputed GOAT, heck just GOAT, pedestal to smithereens.

And if Nadal somehow manages to go past Federer's record, will that reduce Federer to status not too far from the one McEnroe once enjoyed: Most talented player - without much to back it?

Besides, if Nadal JUST ties the record, wouldn't he claim the undisputed GOAT status based on just these two pieces:

-He has eclipsed the most talented player to ever exist - without matching skill. Heck, some may say, he is not even close given his 'one-trick' pony rep.

-He overcame most injuries that a tennis player has ever sustained.

I mean, you cannot thrash - forget maintain a slim lead @ the most cherished record - with so much talent AND so much continuity without injury? How can you claim to be THE GOAT - other obvious records like weeks @ No. 1, WTF etc. notwithstanding?